in progress...

Chapter One- Grandma's Date

"Bingo!" I called across the room springing up from my chair and spinning towards the stand. I looked over ecstatically at my grandma sitting across from me. She had a large, ear to ear grin on her face and her large, blue eyes twinkled. She knew how excited I was to have finally won a round in the annual Thompson Nursing Home bingo. For most 17-year-olds, this would not be something to get giddy about. But not me, I loved bingo. I'd been visiting my grandma ever since she came here about 9 years ago. We were so close and I honestly don't know what I'd do without her. I knew all the people here. It was like a second home for me so they were all just as happy for me as Grandma Rosie. I bolted over to Mrs Brown who was running bingo this year.

"Hi, Mrs Brown!" I said when I got up to the stand. I watch her slip on her glasses and take my paper.

"Hello, Alison. How was your mathematics exam?" she said with a small giggle. She'd been helping me with my math homework ever since I can remember. I was always here and when I heard other folks talking about how good Mrs Brown was with math, I visited her room for help. She was more than willing to help. And she wasn't the only one who I had a close relationship with here. Mr and Mrs Robins help me with my writing skills all the time. Every month, for the past year, I've dropped off a page or 2 of drafts and they edit and help me with it. They both used to be writers and they say I "keep them young" which always makes me laugh. I help the staff with the morning medication and I sometimes run a 2-hour "tech for dummies" group to help some people with Skype, messaging, the internet and even (for Mr Griffith) social media.

So yeah, you could say I come here a lot. I glanced back at my bag on the table.

"I'll show you!" I race back over to my bag and pull out my most recent math test with the big 98% and a smiley face on it. I cheekily walked back with the paper behind my back. She smiles questionably at my covering of the test. I gleefully hold the paper up to her and her face lights up!

"Ali this is amazing! Congrats!" she announces as she hands me back my completed bingo paper that she had just checked. "Double congratulations, actually." I look down and see she's ticked my sheet and gave me a sticker. It sounds a bit silly but I was very happy! She flicks a switch on the microphone turning it back on.

"Everyone please give Alison a round of applause. Winner of the first round of Thompson Nursing Home annual bingo!" I turn back to the crowd of about 30 seniors and jokingly bow. They all cheer as I go back to my seat.

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6 hours have passed and I'm still at the nursing home. The large, black clock on the wall reads 4:30 pm. Aka; time for me to say goodbye. I say goodbye to everyone and then head back to my grandmother's room. Just as I go to knock on her door, it flies open and there stands my grandmother dressed in a beautiful, royal blue dress and her favourite pearls around her neck. I get a waft of her Chanel no.02 as she turns around the lock the door.

"Grandma! I thought I was taking you to a dinner with some friends? These must be some fancy friends", I say smirking. I already knew she wasn't going to meet her friends because Christopher in room 5 told me she was going a date. But I really didn't think he was worth Chanel no.02 (grandma's favourite perfume).

"Well my dear, my plans have changed a bit", she explains. The corners of my lips curve as I try to hold in my giggle. "I'm going on a date with a man I met in the cafeteria. He's just transferred from Ridgetown. His name is Mr Morrison and he's taking me to 'Little Italy' tonight."

"The fancy, new Italian restaurant in Newcrest?" She nods excitingly making her Betty-White-like hair bounce. In that moment all I could think about was Grandpa. He passed away a couple years ago. For a long time, grandma was lonely and often sad. She's a strong woman but I could see she was thinking about it too.

"Ok then! Let's go shall we?" I ask grabbing her coat and holding out my arm. We walk past the cafeteria and I can smell cheesy, homemade pizza. This guy must be serious if it means missing out on Saturday night pizza!

We walk out of the building into the fresh air. At the end of the path is a man in a suit, holding a bouquet of white roses, leaning on a red, Shelby Cobra. As soon as the man saw us coming he stood up tall and smiled wide. He was tall and considerably tan with short brown and white hair. He had a short grey-brown beard framing his structured face and dark hazel eyes. The more I analysed him, the more I noticed how wealthy he looked. I recognised a badge on his suit jacket's pocket as Pierre Cardin. He was wearing silver cuff links and elegant, black business shoes. I watched his eyes looked up and down at my grandma's outfit. He was clearly in awe. Her blond, freshly curled hair sat smoothly on her shoulders while her royal blue dress fanned out perfectly finishing at her knees.

"Rosemary! You look incredible!" He pointed out slightly gasping. His voice was deep but smooth. Like that of a movie. I'd completely forgotten that my Grandma's name was Rosemary. Ever since I can remember everyone called her Rosie. She was always Grandma Rosie. I wonder how he knew that. I smiled at the elegant looking man. He returned a pearly white smile and began to speak.

"And you must be Rosemary's granddaughter. I'm Robert", he explained holding out a hand for me to shake. I shook his hand and introduced myself. He was kind and very polite.

                                                                                                ***

"Well", I said after a few minutes talking, "I should get home. Nice to meet you, Robert. Have a good time tonight."

"You too, Alison. Goodnight", calls Robert as I walk towards my car.

"Bye Ali. See you tomorrow", Grandma Rosie says as she gets in the passenger seat of the car.